A client application may access a server application using known protocols. For example, a web client that accesses a web server may use commonly known protocols, such as Hypertext Transfer Transfer Protocol (HTTP), WebSockets, etc. Typically, a response from a web server includes a document that conforms to known formatting languages, such as Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), eXtensible Markup Language (XML), or others. Web content may be cached, i.e. temporarily stored as a technique to reduce bandwidth usage, server load, and response lag. Quite frequently an initial document provided by the web server will include references to further content that the web client must retrieve to properly display a web page.
In traditional web browsers, it is common for a web browser to pre-fetch further resources based on the web page which is currently being viewed. Pre-fetching further content based on the initial document enables a web browser to obtain additional content that might be subsequently requested by the user of the web browser. A common challenge with pre-fetching techniques is predicting which additional content might be subsequently requested.
Recently, new types of electronic devices are being developed. A tablet-style mobile device (referred to herein simply as a “tablet”) may be tethered to another electronic device such as a mobile communications device to exploit the radiofrequency transceiver of the latter for transmitting and receiving data over a wireless network. This enables the tablet to surf the Web, exchange e-mails or perform myriad other tasks that require Internet connectivity. The tablet may be tethered by a cable or wirelessly, e.g. via Bluetooth®, Wi-Fi™ or any other short-range wireless protocol common to both devices. When tethered, the wireless communications device serves data to the tablet as its client device.
The data transmission rate between a tablet and the wireless communications device with which it is wirelessly tethered may be limited by the connection used to tether the devices, such as Bluetooth® or other short-range radio frequency connection. The user experience may thus be degraded due to bandwidth limitations.
It will be noted that throughout the appended drawings, like features are identified by like reference numerals.